Automobile lock-switch.



' UNITED sTaTEs PATENT ormoni.

criAnLEseTEnrLnn, orcHIcAso, ILLrNoIsgW t AUTQMOBILE Loox-SWITCH.

To all whomvit may conc-em f Be it known that I, CHARLES TEQRFLER,

a citizen of the United,k States, residingI at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inV Automobile Lock- Switches, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to'new and useful `improvements in electric switches and the object of my invention is to provide an electric switch in-which the movable switch member is inclosed in a casing and its movement controlled by a lock and key.

provide a switch of the above described character peculiarly'adapted for use in electric ignition systems for automobiles andv l or opening the magneto circuit.

A further object of my rinvention is therefore to so construct the switchthat it may be readily secured to the dash or other Isuitable portion of a self-propelled vehicle. And a' still further object of my invention is to so construct the casing of the switch thatl its face cap or cover may be removed when vnecessary to permit repairs or adjustment of parts.

With these and other objects in view, my invention will bemcre fully described, illustratcd in the accompanying drawing, and

then specically pointed'out in the claims which are attached to and? form a part oi this application.

' In the drawing: Figurel is a front elevation of my improved switch, the switch operating plate carried by the key controlled lock being shownin dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a section on theline; 2-f2vof 4Fig, showing the interior construction of the switch; Fig. 3 isa section `von the line 3f3 of v Fig; 1,

showing' further details ofy switch' construe` tion; Fig. l is ,aper spective view of the ylso.

complete switch Fig. 5 is a.,fragmentary sectional 'view `of the swinging terminal of the movable Yswitch member@ i yCorrespondingand like parts are referred rtoin the following description and indicated in all the viewsofthe drawing bythe saine reference,characters. The preferred embodiment of my'mven A further object of my invention is to the two casing membersgis limited.

closed in a casing 11y and operable by av switch operating plate/'12 carriedby alieycontrolled lock 13. More's'peciiically the I Speclcation of Letters Patent. 'Pateli'tet Allg-31, 19,15.; Application inea mmh-31,1913. seriaiivo. "157,930r

casing '11 comprises acylindrieal 'body-pr shell 14, preferably formed of metal-and normally open at both ends, said body 'mein-1 ber being provided at itsfinnerend with in-l wardly directed, radiallugs =1`51arranged at spacedpintervals and'perforated as at`16to receive screws by means of which the casing may be secured with .its innerend against an automobile dash oruothe'r support.V The casing 11 further comprisesza capor cover;

17 which engages overthe outer end'of the;

body portion of the j` casing andwhicli is provided with a peripheral'flange 18 whichv bears about the outerxportion of saidfbpdymember, this liange` having d iametrically,V

disposed bayonet slots S19 ,arranged to rea ceive pins 20 carried ,bythe casing, and by,y Y

means of .which therelativemovement of The switch mechanismlincludes abase or support 21 formed of any suitable insu-.Q

lating material suchI a s =iiber; orvulcanized rubber land proportioned to extend trans-v versely across thevint'ermediate '.portionfof the main casing 14 in which position it is ber as shown at @Sto permit the insertion" of a screw driver for 'securingthe svijitchz 'in' place. This base 21 carriesthreevsyinmetril cally arranged binding posts 24; 2 5 andf26,

secured by a plurality of spaced screws 22;

the former of vwhichv serves las "the pivot point for the swinging switch arm QZywhile the latter are provided fatitheir `outer endsV4 with contact terminals '284 and 29,-' respec-c tively, adapted to "engaf'g'e the' contact` 30.

carried by the free end icfthe switch arm 27. The base also carries pins lfand 3Q por sitionedv one adjacent each ofi the binding' posts 25 and 26 to serve as stops andlimit the movement of `rthe yswitch arm.ff The?k "switch arm is provided'at its free endwith a. laterally directed stud 33 about which .is r*mounted a sleeve 34y ofwinsulating materiaL-f thissleeve being tree toturn about the studvt '33,' but'beng heldfaganst disengagement therefromby an enlarged head .E5 farmed,

. no further description of its construction or- I upon the free end of the stud. s the above described arrangement-of switch contacts and switch blade is well known in the art,

operation is necessary. -f- The,caplor cover 17 rial and this cap and plate'are provided centrally with alined openings to receive thel `-body ofa plug lock of the usual'or any con- 'ventionalA type, this lock being rmly clamped in place by a nut37 threaded upon the innerend of the lock body and engaging against the inner .face of the plate 36, the

'outcry end of the lock body being providedv -with a. peripheral shoulder 38 which engages against the outer face of the cap. f The key -post.39,` which is adapted to receive a key 40 and" Which'.may be turned'by` said key` exf tends b y its inner end beyondthe body of the lock andcarries vthe switchactuating plate 412, this'plate'be'ing secured `to the inner end 'Noffthe'post by'l screws 41 passed .through a -,washer 42 and the plate l2 and into the key f post.. It willl therefore be apparent that any turning of the key in the lock .will .cause a corresponding turning of theswitch actuating .plate 12. This plate, as best shown iii Figs. Land 2 of the' drawings, is eccentrically llnounted and lis lcut-away at oneI side as shown at 43 to receive the insulated stud of the movable switch member.l It will theren fore be seen thatv any rotation of this switch plate about the centrally located key post as 4. an-..aXiswill cause a corresponding swinging of the switch larm 27 to move the sainev into engagement with either' the contact-28 or 29 l as the case may be. The switch loperating 4o f'posite points as shown at 44 and 45 to permit.

plate'is further cut-away at substantially opthe -positioning of the plate and casing cover, the inner or main casing member being provided at diametrically opposite points with @inwardly extending lugs 46 which pass through the cut-awayportions of the plate 'as the cover is being applied and beneath which the edge portions of the plate engage when the cover is in position.

latter has been previously swung tosuch a position as to permit this three-point adjustment. -The cover or cap is thenapplied and partially rotatedy to lock the pins Q Oin the slots 19; When se adjusted the peripheral-ledge portions of the switch actuating plate. engage beneath the lugs 46 'and lock then being no strain upon the pin'sj20: :At therme tme'thel- .Plate may le-.readily A p A of the casing is lined*- with a disk or plate 36-of insulating mate-.

vcient distance to close either circuit. without the lateral extensions would be y `-swung through the'ac'tion of the key to'rnoi'fe Y course be apparent that this being the case l the locking plate 12'will, unless the ke 'is in tlie'lock, turn with thel cover. .If t en when the lock and casing are being assembledthe casing is so applied that the pins seat 1n the body portion of the slot and with the casing held in this position the key is turned to swing the moving contact armi firm engagement with the contact 25 to an intermediate position between the contacts 25v and 26 andthe cover of the casing then turned to seat the pins in the lateral extensions of the slot, the key and therefore the locking plate being held against turning in the meantime, it will be clear that upon re-4 moval of the key lthe cover will be locked upon the casing providing the lateral ex? tensions of the slots are-too short to permit '90 f the reverse turning of the cover to au suiii- Slots equally as effective except for the fact that during the customary use of the switch with ,the key in place, the cover would always be l,unlocked when one of the circuits was closed p and might jar loose.

From the foregoingv description it will be apparent that I have provided an extremely effective .form of lock and ke controlled electric switch and one which is peculiarly adapted for use in controPlling thecircuits in ignition systems for automobiles, thisdoing away with the employment of a. ad lock or other device for fastening the switch arm in place as is now customary. The key may be left in the lock while the engine is running or as soon as the switch is set properly maybe removed, as preferred. The ,Casin any convenient point on the vehicl e'. ,I do not wish in any way to limi-t myself to the specific details of constructionillus rtrated in the drawings and described' in the above specification, as any changes,within.

the scope of the appended claims' may be tion.

Having thus described the invention, what is. claimed as new is:

may- 'beof any suitable' metal such as po ished brass, or nickel ware and niav be mounted at 1 1. A lock switch including a casing, lugs K' formed on the interior of the casing, a switch mounted in the casing, a closure for'the casing, a plug lock extending through the clo- 4 the coverl against outward movement, there sure., means carried by the lock Vand engag- "ing the switch for actuating the latter-,said means also engaging the lugs to lock thevclof sure against movement away from the ing, save in one position of the switch, and means permitting such movement of the closure when the switch is in sch position and also limiting movement of the closure to prevent bringing the switch to such position by movement oi the closure. v

2. A lock switch including a casing, lugs formed on the interior of the casing, a switch' mounted 1n the casing, a closure for the casing, a plug' lock extending through the elo-- sure, means carried. by the lock and engaging the switch for actuating the latter, said means also engaging the lugs to lock the closure against movement away from the casing, save in one position of the switch, and means permitting such movement of the closure when the switch is in such'position and also limiting movement of the closure to revent bringing the switch to such position y movement of the closure, said means limiting turning of theclosure with respect to the casing. n

3. A lock switch including a casing, lugs formed on the interior of the casing, a switch mounted in the casing, a closure for the casing, a plug lock extending through the closure, means' carried by the lock and engaging the switch for 'actuating the4 latter, said means also engaging the lugs to lock the closure against movement away from the,

casing, save in one position of the switch,

and means permitting such movement of the closure when the switch is in such position and also limiting movement of the closure to prevent bringing the switch to such position by movement of the closure, said means including a pin and slot connection between the casing and closure.

4. A lock switch including a'casing, lugs formed on the interior of thecasing, a switch mounted in the casing, a closure for the casing, a plug lock extending through the closure, means carried bythe lock and engaging the switch for actuating the latter, said means also engaging the lugs to lock the closure" against movement away from the casing, save in one position of the' switch, and

CHARLESI G. TERFLER. [Le] Witnesses:

ARTHUR G. RANKIN', JENNIE E. RANKIN. 

